LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Black Hills Energy’s Kansas is seeking a rate increase that it says would raise a typical residential bill by $4.17 per month.

The natural gas utility, which is based in Lawrence, serves customers in 64 Kansas communities.

The Lawrence Journal-World reports (http://bit.ly/1iHBYUU ) Black Hills says it needs the rate increase to pay for increased operating expenses and infrastructure investments. The company says it’s spent nearly $51 million in those areas since 2006.